Tracts and Letters (Volume 7) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Letters DCLXIV to DCLVIII and the 'Last discourses of Calvin'.
Today we read the last of Calvin's letters. They are all from 1564 and are addressed to the Duchess of Ferrara, the Physicians of Montpellier, Bulllinger and Farel. The content of the letters concern:
(i) the Duchess of Ferrara's tricky situation as a Protestant involved with the Guise family;
(ii) Calvin's severe illnesses and expectant death.
Today we also read the last discourses of Calvin:
(i) his last will and testament whereby he makes a good confession of his faith and allocates his worldly possessions;
(ii) his farewell discourse to the Seigneurs/Ministers of Geneva - we are given two accounts of this speech from two different hands.
I enjoyed reading Calvin's assessment of his life's work, as contained in his will: 'I protest also that I have endeavoured, according to the measure of grace he has given me, to teach his word in purity, both in my sermons and writings, and to expound faithfully the Holy Scriptures ; and moreover, that in all the disputes I have had with the enemies of the truth, I have never made use of subtle craft nor sophistry, but have gone to work straight-forwardly in maintaining his quarrel. But alas ! the desire which I have had, and the zeal, if so it must be called, has been so cold and so sluggish that I feel myself a debtor in everything and everywhere, and that, were it not for his infinite goodness, all the affection I have had would be but as smoke, nay, that even the favours which he has accorded me would but render me so much the more guilty ; so that my only recourse is this, that being the Father of mercies he will show himself the Father of so miserable a sinner.'
At the end of his life, Calvin was certainly not a victim of pride.
Next week's reading
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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